Normally, electric lift trucks are the best option for indoor use in warehouses and manufacturing operations for 2 major reasons: First off they produce zero emissions. This is an extremely essential factor to consider for indoor work places. Out of the IC or internal combustion models, just the propane-fueled models are able to be used indoors and these models still need really good ventilation. Gas and diesel powered units are not able to be used inside under any circumstances.
The main benefit of electric forklifts is fuel costs. As opposed to internal combustion or IC units, these have lower expenses per hour. Amongst the main drawbacks to the electric forklifts is their higher initial cost. New electric lift trucks could vary from 20 percent to 40 percent more than internal combustion units that are similarly rated.
On the other hand, electric forklifts offer numerous advantages like quiet operation. This is a big plus for indoor applications. Moreover, no fuel storage requirements mean no room has to be allotted for tanks of dangerous and flammable fuels. As electric lift trucks have less moving components compared to IC units, and they are normally used in cleaner environments and inside, they tend to have a longer overall lifespan.
The battery downtime is the biggest downside of an electric lift truck. These models function with heavy, large, lead-acid batteries, like those found inside your automobile. These batteries are very big and really strong. Usually, batteries provide sufficient power for one regular 8-hour shift, and this translates into 5 or 6 hours of nonstop use.
Originally, charging a forklift battery takes roughly 8 hours. After the charging process is done, an additional 8 hours of cooling time is required before it could be used. Due to this long method of slow charging speed and extra cooling time, if you require forklifts for 2 or 3 shift operations, you will need to purchase extra batteries so you can be charging the nest battery always. These additional batteries would add about $1000 to $2000 to purchase.
There are a few new fast charge electric lift trucks on the market. These specialized batteries have revolutionized the electric lift truck business. Their charging can be completed during the course of coffee and lunch breaks, allowing them to get back to work a lot sooner.